New Dawns
by AzzyDarling
Summary: Nick finds that Z-day might have messed with his reasons to get up in the morning. Nick/Ellis, non graphic.
1. Chapter 1

AN: so slang is not my strong side, and Nick is prolly a little too nice. And I don't own L4D at any rate, just messing with it, and no profit made.

**New dawns.**

_A change of speed, a change of style_

_A change of scene, with no regrets_

_A chance to watch, admire the distance_

_Still occupied though you forget_

_Different colours, different shades_

_Over each mistakes were made_

_I took the blame_

_Directionless so plain to see_

_A loaded gun won't set you free_

_So you say_

_-Joy Division._

"I'm really sorry I shot you." Ellis mumbled, stirring his cold can of spaghetti with a plastic fork.

Nick would have laughed if it didn't hurt, instead he rose an amused brow. "Hey, it happens."

"No it doesn't." Ellis sighed, finally looking at Nick. "Name me someone else who did it."

"Errr.. well there is a first time for everything." Nick said, not really willing to admit that none of the others had ever shot each other. "Look sport, I will be up and running in no time. it's not like it's a deadly wound or nothing."

Ellis took off his cap and ran a hand through his sweaty hair, "I can't help it but to feel responsible."

Nick smiled strained and leaned up against the pillows that Rochelle had found for him. "As I said, it's fine kid."

Holding his cap in his hands, wringing it nervously, Ellis had finally abandoned his cold can of food. "They were all over, and.. I couldn't aim properly."

Nick frowned slightly, "Are you alright? Did you get Ro or Coach to look you over?"

"I'm fine." Ellis said with a little bloodless smile.

"is that a fact?" Nick said, closing his eyes listening to the zombies outside. "I am really tired of that sound." He stated, changing the subject, knowing that if Ellis really was wounded he would not admit it to him.

"Me too." Ellis said, referring to the snarling, searching, zombies. He glanced towards the heavy iron door that separated them from the cannibals. "Hey Nick, can I ask you something, yanno, it might be stupid.. but.. "

"Anyone who pulled shotgun pellets out my ass, can ask me anything." Nick clucked, he knew that Ellis would not appreciate that he mentioned it, but he couldn't help it, it was sorta amusing, in a strictly fucked up, karma'ish way.

Ellis' lips became a bloodless line for a moment, and then he smiled a little timid smile, very un-Ellis like. "Have you seen anyone you know? you know.. like, like.." He nodded discretely towards the door and the noise, "like one of them."

"No." Nick lied, not really sure why he lied.

"Oh." Ellis nodded. "So you left your home town before all this?" He picked up his can of spaghetti again. "If you don't mind me asking."

"I did." Nick admitted.

"I sorta wish I had too." Ellis sighed, poking the disgusting slobber in the can. "Left, I mean."

Nick opened his eyes, something in Ellis' voice told him that it was important. "It's not like anyone would have thought.." He bit his lip, trying to come up with the right words, but he couldn't. Ellis seemed to understand what he meant though.

"Where were you when you heard the news first?" Ellis asked.

"I.. I uh.. I was on a bus." Nick said, which was another lie, "In a Greyhound bus, bound for Miami when the guy next to me watched the news on his laptop." Why did he lie like this to that poor gullible kid? Maybe because he knew that telling the truth would maybe..Maybe.. Ah he didn't know, maybe this was his chance to become something else, to wipe the slate clean, and to get a second time around. Funny it would start with lying his ass off though.

"The bus crash?" Ellis asked.

"No.. You see.. " Nick sighed heavily. "Okay, truth is that I was here, I was in a hotel room on the same damn hotel where I met you later." He smiled gently, hey the truth wasn't so bad after all, was it? "I was just passing though Savannah on my way to Jacksonville, or so I thought. Suddenly I was caught here in in the middle of flesh eating, walking dead."

Ellis nodded, listening. "Zombie Apocalypse.. maaan.." He mumbled thoughtfully. "Who would have thought."

"Not me, that is for fucking sure." Nick admitted, closing his eyes again.

"Yanno, it's nothing like them movies, is it?" Ellis suddenly said, "They always scream 'shoot them in the head' in the movies, but in reality it doesn't matter."

Nick smiled amused, seeing the grotesque poetic justice in it. "Wonder if George Romero is one of them, wouldn't that be cool? shooting him in the head."

"No." Ellis said a little offended.

Rochelle climbed down the ladder from the upstairs, down to the two men. "Are you two okay?" She asked.

Nick just hummed a sleepy answer, and Ellis nodded.

Rochelle tilted her head and stared at Ellis. "Hey are you hurt Ellis?"

Ellis shook his head.

"Take off your shirt." Rochelle commanded, "Now."

Ellis sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get much out of refusing, so instead he made excuses for the injuries she would find. "it's okay, it's not my first bite yanno."

Rochelle didn't notice Nick who opened his eyes again, she was aiming directly for a the medical supplies.

"Man." Nick slurred, sleepy. "He got you good! You should have said something you fucking idiot, what if it got infected and you got fucking gangrene or some shit like that?"

Ellis wanted to say something, but he just opened his mouth, and closed it again, letting Rochelle tend to him.

Rochelle shot Nick a poisonous glare, but didn't say anything.

"I will take first watch." Ellis said as Rochelle handed him his shirt back. "It's okay, I'm not tired."

Rochelle wanted to argue, but truth was she was tired to the bone, and Nick and Coach already slept. "Okay." She said softly, "But you wake me in a couple of hours, okay?"

"I will." Ellis said with a nod.

Ellis tried to work silently, making himself some coffee. but in the semi light he pushed over a can, startling Nick, who instinctively grabbed his gun. "Sorry." Ellis said with an apologetic smile, "I just tried to make some coffee."

"Would you make me one too?" Nick asked, yawning.

"Sure." Ellis said, pulling another plastic cup from the cupboard. "Nick?"

"Yes."

"Were you married?" Ellis asked innocently.

"What?" Nick asked back.

"You wear a wedding ring." Ellis stated.

Nick looked down at his hand. "Well.." His head already started to form a lie, when he reached out for the coffee that Ellis brought him. "Yes, and no." He said, "I was married once, the wedding ring stayed on because it worked for me, that the ladies thought I was taken." He smiled, placing the cup on the floor, he pulled off the ring. "Give me your hand."

Ellis held out his hand to Nick, staring at him confused as he pushed the ring on his index finger. "Uhm.. Nick.. I.."

"I do." Nick said solemnly. Only his smile giving away his amusement.

"Jesus Christ, Nick.." Ellis argued softly.

"Just don't get killed okay?" Nick said, finally letting go of Ellis' hand. "it's a good luck token, it sure as shit gave me some lucky strikes, if you know what I mean." He winked.

"Oh.. OH.." Ellis blushed again, staring at the ring.

"So what about you El?" Nick asked, knowing the answer from Ellis' expression alone.

"Does it matter?" Ellis looked down into his coffee.

"Suppose not." Nick said softly, "I was just trying to make conversation."

Ellis nodded. "I had my mama, and friends.. I.." He dropped his gaze, "I really don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay." Nick said, accepting that it might hurt Ellis to talk about, he was just about to ask if he had run dry of stupid Keith stories, when he shifted in his seat, and bend over a little to try and meet the shorter man's eyes.

"They are all dead." Ellis said darkly, and uncannily un-Ellis.

"You know what?" Nick said, reaching out caressing Ellis' cheek.

Ellis looked up half in surprise, half in alert. He had never neither seen or expected Nick to make a loving gesture like that, nothing he had said or done had given none of them any clue that he even wanted to be seen with either of them. If you don't count the zombie killing team spirit.

"You have a new family." Nick said gently. "Give it ten years and you will be telling, Coach, Rochelle and Nick anecdotes. To anyone who bothers to listen, or at least still have ears."

Ellis smiled genuinely, that was the kindest thing anyone had ever said. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I was at home." Ellis suddenly said, one day as they were walking down a seemingly endless road.

Nick turned his head and looked at the shorter man. "What?"

"When I first heard about all this." Ellis said, "My mama had just served dinner, and the news showed the first images of it." He smiled a little, "She switched the channel, because she didn't want to watch the news or something, I won't ever know why she turned it off." Ellis bit a nail, walking a little slower. "I asked her to turn it on again, it looked like it was pretty important. But she hit me over the head with a dishwasher rag, and told me to eat my beans." Ellis laughed softly.

Nick smiled, and inwardly wished that his mother had at least bothered with a call, which she hadn't.

"When the first one was spotted in Savannah, I told her we needed to board up the house, or at least turn on the radio to keep taps on what the government said." Ellis chuckled to himself, "Yanno like in that movie."

Nick nodded, not because he knew what movie Ellis was referring to, but he remember the feeling of staring in a zombie movie, the first couple of days.

"Mama said; God takes care of his own." Ellis said in a near whisper. "Guess he didn't."

"Eh.." Nick mumbled, not being a religious man, he wasn't sure what the hell he was supposed to say, and his mind raced for the right words to make Ellis smile. "Doesn't he also say that he never gives someone more than they can handle... or something.."

"Or something." Ellis laughed softly.

Nick smiled, it had been the right thing, because the sweet smile was back. Dimples and all. Nick knew he should stop and wonder why he noticed Ellis' dimples or his pretty, smiling, blue eyes. But he didn't, the world had gone insane, and the dead walked the earth, why shouldn't he admire Ellis' charms? There is a first time for everything, Armageddon and pretty boys both. "Is that shoulder still giving you trouble?" he asked casually.

"Nah." Ellis lied.

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter, man." Nick said drily. "Here." He pulled a couple of painkillers from his pocket, "Ro gave me enough of this shit, to put down a horse."

Ellis squinted his eyes, not sure if he should believe it, but in the end the pain in his shoulder won out, and he took the pills.

Ellis heard Nick's scream over the sound of the growling, roaring zombies. He stopped dead in his tracks. He heard Rochelle call his name, but he reached out for the sniper rifle instead of running. At first he had a hard time to see Nick, but then he saw him, trying to battle off one of those feral ones, Ellis aimed, ignoring Rochelle's calls that had now risen to a high pitched scream. "You can't have him." Ellis mumbled to himself, and fired a bullet, the feral zombie jerked, but didn't go down, Ellis fired again, and again, and finally it seemed to loose it's battle, and Nick got a punch in with the handle of his rifle, and knocked it off. Ellis tossed down the sniper rifle, and looked around. Only to stare into a big infested blob, he tried to push it off, but it vomited all over him, and he knew what that meant, he had seen that before. Desperately he tried to orientate himself, wiping off the bile from his face.

Coach pulled Nick to his feet, and they all stared up at the balcony where Ellis stumbled around, blind. They could hear the snarls get louder and louder, and Nick was sure that Ellis heard that too. Nick scanned the surroundings, "There has to be some way up there." He squeaked.

"Both you and Ro is badly hurt." Coach said soberly.

Nick angrily ran his hand down his torn shirt, feeling warm blood on his fingers. "You two run off and find somewhere safe." He said, reloading his rifle with a grim expression.

"You can't.." Rochelle groaned.

"Neither can he." Nick stated coldly, "In a moment there will be swarms of those fuckers, either you go with me or you don't, but I am 'not' leaving him like this."

Coach looked at Rochelle, and with a sigh handed her a handful of painkillers, "We will cover you." He said.

"Knew you would." Nick said with a genuine smile, before he ran down the street, the same way they had come from. He could hear Ellis scream in horror as the horde made it's impact. "A little help here?" Nick growled angrily at the skies as he kept searching for some means of getting to the first floor of the house.

Ellis had no perspective of time, he just kept shooting in blind, somewhere in the back of his head, he wondered of this was permanent. He could hear gunshots, so he knew they hadn't left. it had been stupid coming up here, but he had thought he could see better, to make out what way they could go so they didn't have to search for a way for so long. This place was a maze.

Nick finally pulled his upper body up on a balcony in the opposite end of the house, making a mental note that maybe this was a fucking suicide mission, coming up here, he vaguely noted the trail of blood he left on the white boards, but ignored it. "Ellis!" He yelled, "I'm on my way!"

"I'm out!" Ellis cried, blinking rapidly, his vision improved a little, had it not been for the blood on his face.

Nick kicked in a door to what had once been a kitchen, and shot a zombie, inwardly he noted that this zombie had a nicer tie than he did, funny how danger and death got absurd when you got used to it. Nick heard a vague growling, it was one of those feral fuckers. "Ellis! Hunter!" He yelled from the top of his lungs. Damn his chest hurt. He heard Ellis scream, figuring the hunter had found it's prey, and he almost threw himself out the window, and with energy he didn't knew where came from, kicked the hunter that tried feverishly to claw it's way to Ellis' guts, in the head before shooting it right between the eyes.

The hunter went limb, and Ellis scrambled to his feet. Without thinking, he threw his arms around Nick's neck, holding the other man tight. "I thought I was dead." Ellis whispered.

"That was fucking close, kid." Nick said with haughty tone, but none the less returned the embrace.

"Fuck!" Rochelle laughed down on the street, "We're alright!"

Ellis pulled from the embrace, and for a split-second the two men looked at eachoter, and for a split second, Nick was sure that Ellis would kiss him, plant a big slobbery one, right on his lips. But he didn't, he just turned his head, and mumbled, "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Nick said, his breath caught in his chest. What the hell was this?

Rochelle and Nick were both knocked out on painkillers and some foul tasting booze they had found. The label was missing, but Ellis figured it was someone's moonshine. Ellis was standing roaming through the chaotic pile of bullets, stocking up on what he needed. "Yo, thanks for not leaving." He said a little childish, "It was really stupid of me to get separated from all y'all like that."

"It was." Coach agreed. "But it all worked out, so don't worry about it kid."

"Maybe we should stay here a day or two, everyone is pretty badly banged up." Ellis said, "maybe we shouldn't.."

"They will be fine." Coach said clipped.

"Of course." Ellis said feeling slightly embarrassed that he had even suggested otherwise.

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

I went away to meet my love

I saw things that I can't have

It makes me mad

To think of you with someone else

You know the reason I can't hurt

I got a heart of stone.

- The Raveonettes.

Chapter 2.

Ellis stared at Nick to the point of cross-eyed, "What was that for?" He asked in a near whisper.

Nick rose a brow and shrugged, "Some people refer to it as a kiss." He said.

"I know that!" Ellis said hotly, "But.."

Nick smirked, "But why did I kiss you?" He stood up and straighten his white jacket, "The answer is quite simple." He brushed his hair back with a smooth move, "Because I fucking wanted to."

Ellis just sat wide eyed and stared at Nick, still trying to process what just happened.

Nick winked at the kid, amused that he for once rendered mister motor-mouth speechless, actually that was something of an achievement in itself. It had been true though, he 'had' kissed Ellis because he wanted to, not that he would ever 'really' admit to that, old habits die hard.

"Asshole." Ellis finally hissed and swiftly got up from his chair, and aimed straight for the little kitchen area.

Now Nick had expected a lot of reactions, but not this. He couldn't even imagine Ellis annoyed, let alone angry. But the kids body language was radiating anger like heatwaves. Not that he cared.. Jesus, if the kid wanted to get this upset over a kiss, it was on him. Not Nick's problem. Nick stood and went back to his gun on the table where he left it, and resumed cleaning it methodically.

Now Coach was not a stupid man, and he might be a little preoccupied with this whole surviving the apocalypse thing, but it didn't mean that he didn't notice the mood of his friends. At first he had thought that Ellis maybe just had a bad day or something, but as the days went on, and they got closer to New Orleans, Ellis' mood didn't really improve, quite contrary.

They stood in a little house in the middle of a swamp. Ellis was outside looking out for zombies, while Coach and Nick quickly swept the house for anything they could use. "Nick." Coach said opening a kitchen drawer, smiling to himself as he pulled out a box of Oreos. "What is the deal with you and Ellis?"

"Deal?" Nick huffed from the living room, "Are you asking me if I know why he is sulking about like a little bitch?"

"Nick." Coach sighed, closing the drawer with a hard slam, "Yeah something like that."

"Nope." Nick said smoothly, sauntering to the door frame, observing Coach searching the kitchen. "Not a fucking clue," He leaned against the frame casually, "Maybe it's that time of the month?"

Coach frowned, "Cut the bullshit Nick."

Nick smiled knowingly, "Seriously Coach, buddy. I have no idea what crawled up the hillbilly's ass." His eyes lit up at the sight of Coach's treasure he held in his hand. "Oh man, is that Oreos?"

"It is." Coach stated. "Want some?"

"Are you crazy?" Nick didn't move a muscle, "I would eat a kilo of raisins right around now, and I hate raisins."

"Very well." Coach said, crossing his arms over his chest. looking out the window at Ellis who sat on the bannister of the porch with his rifle in his lap. "If you tell me what is going on, I will give you some."

Nick considered the pros and cons for a moment. And with a casual smile he said "Might have said something that pissed him off, maybe you should ask him, because as I said; I have no fucking clue."

Coach narrowed his eyes, "Not good enough, Nick."

Nick threw his hands up in the air, surrendering, he really, 'really' wanted some Oreos. "I kissed him, okay? Now hand over the cookies." He held out his hand to receive the treat.

Coach couldn't have looked more surprised even if he tried. "What?"

"I snogged him, so what?" Nick repeated. "Oreos, now!" All is fair in war and.. yeah war.

Coach still tried to process it in his head, but opened the box, and pulled out two cookies and placed them in Nick's grimy hand. "You're crazy." He mumbled.

"Might be," Nick said, smiling at the cookies in his hand. "I don't know why the fuck he makes it into such a big deal though."

Coach resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Everything is a big deal to that kid, don't tell me didn't notice that." Coach put an cookie in his mouth, and let out a long satisfied sigh at the taste.

Nick said nothing, he just took a bite of his cookie and looked out the window at Ellis in the sunset.

"Look." Coach said seriously, "You broke it, you fix it."

Nick frowned.

"We have to be a team to survive this, and right now, we ain't. So I strongly suggest you apologize to him, doesn't matter if you mean it or not, but he needs to get back into the game, if you know what I mean. Pep talk him, sweet talk him, I don't care, just do it." Coach said hushed so Ellis wouldn't hear.

Nick understood the logic in Coach's words, still.. apologising was not his strongest side, and it was not like he was about to tell Coach the truth, that the kid confused him. He was not like this. Maybe it was like in prison where people who are straight going in, come out gay? Nick gnawed his lip, thinking. Nah, Ellis wasn't really the first guy he had known in the biblical sense, he had just never gotten involved, like 'really' involved in someone like Ellis, or without at least some sort of gain, financially or otherwise. "Yeah, you're right." Nick said, surprising Coach again.

Ellis sat on the bannister overlooking the small swamp village in the setting sun, wondering if they should risk sleeping here or if they should press on for somewhere safer, but if Nick and Coach didn't get hurry up, it might become a very real possibility they had to sleep over here.

"Ellis?" Nick said, taking five long strides from the door to the kid on the railing.

Ellis looked up at Nick, his smile strained and controlled, "Are you done in there?" he asked politely.

"Yeah." Nick mumbled, looking at those impossibly blue eyes, all the smart dialogue he had planned on, disappeared. "Here." He handed his other Oreo to Ellis. "Coach found them."

"Oh man!" Ellis lit up in a genuine smile. "You're he best!" he snatched the cookie from Nick.

"Look." Nick sighed, seating himself on the bannister too. "I properly shouldn't have done that. It was on a whim, what can I say? It was a strange day for all of us." He flashed a smile at Ellis who munched on his cookie, "We cool?"

"Is that an apology?" Ellis asked gently, sucking his fingers from crumbs.

"Yeah." Nick nodded slowly.

Ellis squinted his eyes, "Don't ever do that again."

"Do what?" Nick couldn't hide the amusement in his voice, over Ellis 'clever' look. "Apologize?"

"No." Ellis stated, looking up at Coach who had joined them on the porch. "Kissing me." Ellis nearly whispered.

"Okay." Nick agreed, nodding.

Ellis jumped off the bannister, and started to walk out of the dirt road, followed by Coach. "Not unless you mean it." He yelled over his shoulder.

Nick was puzzled, mean what? Mean the apology or the kiss? For a simple kid, who Nick doubted had ever finished 5'th grade, then he sure was complex.

Nick had heard the witch, but he hadn't seen her before it was too late, he heard her agitated growl and spun around himself in panic, "Where is she?" He squeaked, his body hurt all over, cuts and bruises, and that long slash he had on his underarm looked like it was really deep. It all faded in comparison to what the witch would do to him. "Where the fuck is she?" Nick asked louder, panic in his voice.

Ellis came running and without giving it second thought aimed somewhere behind Nick.

Nick turned in that direction and finally he saw her, that ugly mother of.. And then she stood up, waving her talons blindly in front of her, as where she trying to catch Nick's shadow. Nick paled, "Oh crap." He whispered.

A shot ran through the air, loudly.

"Ellis!" Nick screamed angrily, realising that the witch now turned her attention to Ellis. He turned in time to see Ellis sprint as fast as he could out between the trees, screaming 'kill it! kill it Nick!' Nick furrowed his brows, wondering for a moment where the hell Coach was, before he half limped, half ran, after Ellis. Nick tried to load the shotgun with shaking hands, while running, no easy feat if you asked him. He could hear Ellis screaming in raw fear, calling his name. "I'm coming overalls, I'm coming!" Nick panted.

Ellis vaguely thought to himself that this must have been the stupidest thing he ever did, but also how much it reminded him of some bad horror flick. Even more so when he stumbled over a stub, falling face down in the swamp mud. "Oh God." He mumbled, scrambling to get to his feet in a hurry. Too bad for Ellis the witch was faster, just about the fastest thing ever, if you don't count a bullet. He felt her claws rip through his skin on his back, tearing him apart with ferocious anger. "NIIIIICK!" He screamed once more, not hearing his friend over the insane, loud screeching of the witch.

Nick aimed and missed. "Fuck." He hissed, quickly running closer, his mind raced seeing the clawed bitch tear into his friend. "Play dead!" He yelled, feeling a insane laugh bubble up inside him, that was for bears wasn't it? he wasn't sure it worked for mutated super zombies, with an appetite for flesh. Then again there probably didn't exist too many safety precautions in situations like this, other than run and shoot. This, this is why I hate the outdoors, he sourly told himself. Nick aimed again, and this time he hit the witch point blank in the head, forcing her off Ellis, he aimed once more, and hit the confused witch again, watching her fall to the ground, dead. "Ellis!" He gasped, kneeling next to the young man. "Ellis, can you hear me?"

Ellis tried to speak but blood pooling in his mouth kept muddling his words.

"That was a fucking stupid stunt you pulled there." Nick ranted, pulling off his jacket, laying it gently on Ellis' back. "I 'will' kick your ass for it, but we need to get you healed up first." He said gently, his tone in stark contrast to his words. "Shit Ellis." He whispered, picking up Ellis in his arms, cradling him against his chest. "You're heavy, man." Nick started to walk towards some man made construction he saw in the horizon, "Coach!" He called, but got no answer, "Coach dammit!" He called again. He looked down at Ellis' pale face against his shoulder. "Don't fucking leave me behind everyone." He groaned, making his way over a grassy hill, carrying his precious cargo.

"Ellis?" Nick said softly, as he finished clumsily to wrap bandages across the younger man's torso. "Wake up man." He heard his own voice carry a slight, very unbecoming whiny tone. But something about the very real possibility of being left alone scared the shit out of him, even if he had told them all he would be better off alone, he now knew the dangers that lurked out there, and knew he stood a very slim chance of getting to any sort of safety on his own, not to mention how slim his chance of even surviving a trip out of the swamp would suddenly become. "Ellis!" He slapped the pale kid across the face, hard, desperate.

Ellis opened his eyes trying to focus on the face hovering over him. "wha.." He groaned. God he was aching all over.

"I hate you." Nick laughed relieved that Ellis even opened his eyes.

Ellis smiled vaguely, loosing the battle of keeping his eyes open. "Ni." he breathed.

"Oh no you don't!" Nick pulled Ellis up to a sitting position, "Stay awake." Ellis winched from the pain, being moved around. Nick didn't mind at all, winching equalled reaction, which in turn equalled alive. "Tell me one of them stupid Keith stories." Nick said, his voice strained, seeing blood seep slowly through the bandages, how he wished that Coach was here, he was much better at this than him.

Ellis smiled again, "The one about the," He rattled as he took a deep breath. "Microwave."

"Sure." Nick said, with a little smile.

Eventually Ellis had fainted, Nick tried desperately to tell himself that Ellis was just tired of talking and had nodded off. He had gotten up and tried to go about whatever it was they normally would do in a safe house, he made coffee and cleaned his gun making sure it would jam in a crisis situation, because that would be just neat, and the story of his life. He listened to the zombies outside sniffling, searching. And as he sat there in the dim light, with the gun parts in front of him, and a steaming hot cup of coffee, he realised he missed normal sounds. Not just normal life, but how granted he had taken normal sounds, stuff like cars, buses and someone walking past talking on the phone. It slowly got to him that there was no safe sounds left, there was only that of predators.

And just where the hell was Coach? he hoped to dear God that he had just been forced to hide out somewhere and figured it would be dangerous to go look for them at night. Tomorrow if Ellis was up, Nick thought they should go look for their third team member.

Nick eventually went over to Ellis who was sleeping, he sat down next to the younger man, and carefully placed a hand on his forehead, it was burning up. Nick was unsettled, what if he screwed up playing nurse, and Ellis' wounds had gotten infected? God how he missed TV, anything to take his mind off the shallow sound of Ellis' rapid breathing, and the snarling outside. This was enough to make a sane man crack.

"Thirsty." Ellis groaned. waking Nick from his uneasy slumber.

Nick sat up alarmed, and then realised that it had just been Ellis who had spoken. He silently got out of bed to fetch Ellis some water, and once he came back, the vague light of dawn lit up the room somewhat, and he could see how sullen Ellis looked, "Here's your water." He said sitting down, handing Ellis the glass.

Ellis smiled thankfully and took the glass with a trembling hand, "Coach?" He slurred.

"I don't know." Nick said honestly, "Maybe we should.. should go fetch his stupid ass."

Ellis laughed, it was a rattling, heaving sound. "Boy scout."

"Does this mean I will get patches?" Nick asked with a grin, inwardly just happy that Ellis was awake and spoke. "I didn't know they had like a 'survive the apocalypse' patch." Nick ran a hand through his greasy hair, "Of course with the free time I have on my hands these days, I could cross stitch one my fucking self." He winked at Ellis, "You want one?"

Ellis just chuckled and sipped his water. More awake he stretched his aching body. "Let's go then."

"Hell no!" Nick stated, "You ain't going no where, not in the state you are in."

Ellis tilted his head and observed the older man, "It's suicide to go outside alone, Nick."

"Well it's also suicide to go outside with a 104." Nick stated sourly, staring at Ellis, trying to make him understand he meant it with his stern expression alone. "Not to mention, it's suicide to go outside with someone, with a 104."

Ellis frowned, "What about Coach?"

"I will find him, don't worry." Nick said a little forced, "You just wait here."

"I 'told' you we should have gotten those walkie talkies." Ellis mumbled, pulling the blanket higher, looking terribly fatigued.

"You were right." Nick admitted, "Ten, four, fucking rubber duck."

"Nick?" Ellis said, sleepily. "You promise you'll be back, right?"

"I do." Nick said, lightly placing his hand on Ellis' forehead again, testing the fever. "Even if I have to outrun a freaking swarm of those things, I'll come back. I won't go far, I promise."

Ellis blinked, and then smiled, "You 'did' mean it." He closed his eyes.

"Bollocks." Nick said in childish defence, "You just stay alive you stupid redneck."

Ellis clumsily scratched his nose, "Will do."

Nick closed the huge iron door behind him. And he had to admit it had been over a decade since he prayed for anything, and his relationship with the maker was rusty to say the least, but in this moment, he found himself praying, or wishing real hard, that they would all be okay. And he promised himself that if he survived this, and Ellis was still alive when he returned, he would dance the fucking peacock on a table and sing.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

AN: So this is the last part, and I seriously thought of writing an alternative end, but in the end decided against it. I will write a sequel though, and well now that I have tested out this universe as an author, I guess I just got a little bolder, and it won't be carrying a T rating like this. And basically the end is like it is to keep within the T rating. Thank you for reading.

I can't get

Any lower

I can't find

All the pieces of my broken life

But I try..

I still try

-Vast

Nick knew that yelling out was a real bad idea, he quickly checked his pocket, scanning the shotgun shells inside, about twenty, it would just have to do, even if he knew he was fooling himself. He idly killed a mosquito that had lodged itself in his neck. "I hate this place." He growled to himself. He had been searching for Coach for what seemed the most of the day, he could tell that the sun would set soon, and he had to backtrack to the safe house right about now, if he didn't want to get caught in the dark.

Looking around, he made a decision, and stood up on a bench where people had once eaten their lunch. Not that Nick had the slightest clue who the fuck would wanna eat their lunch in this place, and screamed from the top of his lungs, "COACH!"

He listened to the silence, hoping for a reply, but none came, just the increased growling of Zombies who had heard him. He shook his head, there was nothing more he could do, he had tried to find Coach, he knew he had. Knowing that he would want the same from Coach if he had been the one laying injured somewhere, waiting for aid that never came. "COACH GODDAMIT!" He yelled, but no reply but growling.

Nick jumped down from the bench, and started to walk back the way he had come, making a mental note not to come back to the swamp, as in ever, this place was putrid, zombies or no zombies. He had made it half way back, counting his blessings for only meeting regular zombies on his way, none of the special, mutated infected. His eyes scanned the floor of an abandoned house, where nothing was left but the frame. Something was there, and curiosity got the better of him as he walked closer. He could see a hunting rifle, and made a quick decision to check how many bullets that had, and if it was more than.. He counted inwardly, ten, then he would take it. But as he arrived at the house, he saw something else, something purple and yellow. "Shit," He groaned, realising that it was Coach's hunting rifle he had seen. He studied the scenario for a little while, it seemed like something had knocked him over, and he had lost his gun, the outstretched arm reaching for the weapon, churned his stomach. It had to be a smoker, it just had to! What else would have knocked the gun out of Coach's hand, and rendered him from yelling out? Nick looked up in alarm, what if it was still around? He listened intensely, but heard nothing.

Kneeling down, he ran a hand over Coach's head, "Rest in peace, buddy." He mumbled, not sure if he should say something more, but since he was not exactly a avid user of the church, he had no clue what to say, and therefore it just had to do. Frowning he looked at Coach, blisters on his skin, and a fine layer of slime on his skin. Oh my God! Coach was turning into one of them! Nick quickly stood up as had he seen a viper. Was nothing sacred? He aimed the shotgun at Coach's head, "Sorry dude." He whispered, pulling the trigger, getting Coach's blood on his pants. This was some fucked up shit indeed!

Making it otherwise event less to the safe house, Nick called through the little window, "Ellis!" He looked over his shoulder out on the wet, grassy knolls, but saw no flesh eaters. "Ellis man, open the door!"

Ellis opened his eyes, and his first thought was that he had dreamed that Nick had called out for him, but when he heard it again, knowing he was awake, he realised that Nick was actually back. He rolled out of his cot with great care, and limped to the door, seeing Nick's pale, tired face on the other side. "You made it back." Ellis stated, hoisting the metal rod so he could open the thick door.

"Of course I did." Nick said as he tried to casually walk into the safe room.

Ellis looked outside for a long moment, "Coach? You didn't find him?" He asked softly.

"No." Nick lied, smiling sadly, "I'm sorry kiddo, I tried."

"It's okay." Ellis mumbled, closing the door shot, bolting it again. "We couldn't expect him to be alive." He turned to Nick, "The important thing is that you tried."

Nick nodded, not really wanting to talk about it, because honestly it had rattled Nick quite a lot seeing Coach like that. He had thought that all those zombies were the direct result of the green flu, he had not for a second thought about them transferring the infection to people who was supposedly immune. Or maybe Coach had never been immune in the first place? He knew that was bollocks, but he had to tell himself that, knowing that Ellis had received several bites from those fuckers.

Three days later Ellis was well enough to leave the swamp safe house, and they slowly, and cautiously made their way towards New Orleans, a part of Nick was happy that he at least was left alive with someone who apparently had been like a bloody bear cub or something, since Ellis showed remarkable abilities as a ranger.

Walking down a mind-numbingly boring road, blocked with cars, Nick cleared his throat, "So what about you sailor? Have a girlfriend or something to look for once we make it to CEDA?"

Ellis shook his head, "Nah,"

"Okay," Nick said sighing, he couldn't take more of Ellis' new silence, he was tired of just heading the zombies growl in a distance. "What about a boyfriend? A sheep? Anything?"

Ellis turned and looked at Nick, "A sheep?"

"Hey man, it's what you hicks do, innit?" He grinned disarming.

"Pfft" Ellis spat, turning around walking a little faster than before.

"Uncle!" Nick yelled, throwing his hands up in the air, "Uncle dammit!"

Ellis turned and looked at Nick, clearly confused.

"I can't stand more of the silent treatment," Nick admitted, "It's fucking starting to creep me out." When Ellis just stood and stared at him, Nick tried to read his expression, and he could tell that the kid was waiting for something, he wondered what that something was. And then it hit him. "You're still wearing the ring I gave you." He pointed out, "So you can't be as pissed off at me as you'd like me to think." He tilted his head waiting for Ellis to reply.

"I'm plenty mad with you." Ellis responded, fixing his cap so Nick couldn't see his eyes for the shadow.

"I don't think so." Nick stated, and with long, firm, strides made his way to where Ellis stood, staring at him for a little while, bending his knees slightly tilting his head and planting a kiss on the baffled Ellis' lips.

"I told you.." Ellis started, while he angrily wiped his lips with the back of his grimy hand.

"I know." Nick said calmly, purposely pushing Ellis up against a car, but before he could kiss Ellis again, they heard a loud screech in the forest that surrounded the road. And they both stepped back, grabbing a hold of their guns, and in complete silence trying to figure out where the feral zombie would attack.

Back in the safe room, Ellis stood leaned over the table studying a map, while Nick aimlessly looked around for anything to eat, but it seems like they was not the first ones to land here and get that idea. "There's crackers." Nick sighed. Everything had been cleaned out.

"We can be in New Orleans tomorrow." Ellis said, "If we follow the water."

"A boat would be neat then, I don't feel like killing zombies waist deep in water." Nick huffed, opening the box of crackers.

"We will just have to make it up as we go along." Ellis said, taking off his cap placing it on the table next to his rifle. "They better be there." he mumbled.

Nick abandoned the crackers, and picked up what little medical supplies was left, "We need to change your bandages, so.. take off your shirt." Nick couldn't help but to smirk at the last statement.

Ellis swiftly pulled the shirt off, and turned to watch Nick, his hands grabbed the edge of the table. "What about you?" He asked softly.

"Relax man, I am not that hurt." Nick said with a smile and stepped closer, amused to learn that Ellis held his breath as his fingers touched his skin. He had read the kid right. Carefully he unwrapped the bandages, "Looks better." He stated, "He did dig into you something fierce though." He placed a flat hand on Ellis' chest. "Close your eyes." He said softly, and as Ellis complied, he ran his hand down over the healing scars, and the soft skin of Ellis' chest. Feeling the younger man tremble as he leaned in and kissed him again, this time longer and more insisting, making it quite clear what he had in mind.

Ellis had turned out an attentive and talented lover, nothing like Nick had imagined, but then again, he hadn't imagined much. And for a while, Ellis little moans had shut out the never ending sound of zombies searching for something to kill. The insanity of it all never registered in Nick's brain, it just wasn't important, but what was important was that right this moment, he felt more alive than he had for months.

They had fought their way to and through New Orleans, aiming for the CEDA evac centre, and as they had reached the last helicopter out of there, no one was more relieved and surprised than them. "We fucking did it overalls!" Nick laughed manic as he lay on his back in the helicopter, trying to catch his breath, holding on to his arm which he reckoned was broken.

"Hell yeah!" Ellis laughed back, and then to Nick surprise he started to cry.

"Whoa." Nick turned his head, still panting, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Ellis smiled through his tears, "We made it, Christ, Nick, we made it!"

"Like I knew we would," Nick said with a little secretive smile, knowing he was lying though his teeth.

Ellis shot him a mockery of a serious glare, knowing that Nick was lying, but that didn't change the fact that Ellis had never been more relieved and happy in his life, he was alive. They were alive, and they were gonna be alright.

The end.


End file.
